36C24124Q0810.docx

West Haven and Newington VA Medical Centers - Steam Quality and Purity Testing

GENERAL INFORMATION

SET-ASIDE

VAMC Manchester

718 Smyth Road Manchester NH 03104

POINT OF CONTACT*

Contract Specialist Nathan Langone Nathan.Langone@va.gov 603-340-0102

PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

950 Campbell Ave

West Haven CT

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

AGENCY’S URL

URL DESCRIPTION

AGENCY CONTACT’S EMAIL ADDRESS

EMAIL DESCRIPTION

Sources Sought Notice Sources Sought Notice

DESCRIPTION

Sources Sought Notice

This is a Sources Sought notice only. This is not a request for quotes and no contract will be awarded from this announcement. The Government will not provide any reimbursement for responses submitted in response to this Source Sought notice. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.

If a solicitation is issued it shall be announced at a later date, and all interest parties must response to that solicitation announcement separately. Responses to this notice are not a request to be added to a prospective bidders list or to receive a copy of the solicitation The purpose of this announcement is to perform market research to gain knowledge of potential qualified sources and their size classification relative to NAICS 238220 (Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors) SBA size standard $19 Million. The West Haven and Newington VA Connecticut (CT) medical centers require recurring steam quality and purity testing to ensure compliance with VHA Directive 1116 (Management of Critical and Semi-Critical Reusable Medical Devices). VHA Directive 1116 requires compliance with utility water, steam, and critical water standards for all Reusable Medical Device (RMD) reprocessing. Critical water standards are noted as taken from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), specifically AAMI ST108:2023 (Water for the processing of medical devices). The focus of this work scope is steam quality and purity. Steam purity refers to the amount of solid, liquid, or vaporous contamination in the steam. High-purity steam contains very little contamination. Steam quality is a measure of the amount of moisture in the steam (or liquid contained in the steam). It is expressed as the weight of dry steam in a mixture of steam and water droplets. The water in steam can cause erosion in pipes and valves of the boiler. Steam utilized for building and processes should be dry and saturated. In the VHA facility the liquid moisture content should not exceed 1%. Dry and saturated steam is an efficient means for transferring energy from one place to another. The full SOW is attached below for reference.

This Sources Sought notice provides an opportunity for respondents to submit their capability and availability to provide the requirement described below. Vendors are encouraged to submit information relative to their capabilities to fulfill this requirement, in the form of a statement that addresses the specific requirement identified in this Sources Sought. Information received from this Sources Sought shall be utilized to facilitate the Contracting Officer’s review of the market base, for acquisition planning, size determination, and procurement strategy.

Submission Instructions: Interested parties who consider themselves qualified to perform the services are invited to submit a response to this Sources Sought Notice by 17:00 EST, 12th of August 2024. All responses under this Sources Sought Notice must be emailed to Nathan.Langone@va.gov with Sources Sought # 36C24124Q0810 in the subject line. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions.

Interested parties should complete the attached Sources Sought Worksheet. Parties may submit additional information related to their capabilities, provided it contains all the requirements contained in the Sources Sought Worksheet. Responses to this Sources Sought shall not exceed 8 pages. In addition, all submissions should be provided electronically in a Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF format.

Attachment 1 Sources Sought Worksheet

QUALIFICATION INFORMATION:

Company / Institute Name: _______________________________________________________ Address: ______________________________________________________________________ Phone Number: ________________________________________________________________ Point of Contact: _______________________________________________________________ E-mail Address: ________________________________________________________________ Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) #: ___________________________________________________ CAGE Code: __________________________________________________________________ SAM Registered: (Y / N) Other available contract vehicles applicable to this sources sought (GSA/FSS/NASA SEWP/ETC): __________________________________________________________________

SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS:

VIP Verified SDVOSB: (Y / N) VIP Verified VOSB: (Y / N) 8(a): (Y / N) HUBZone: (Y / N) Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business: (Y / N) Women-Owned Small Business: (Y / N) Small Business: (Y / N) NOTE: Respondent claiming SDVOSB and VOSB status shall be registered and Center for Veterans Enterprise (CVE) verified in VetBiz Registry www.vetbiz.gov.

BASED ON THE RESPONSES TO THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE/MARKET RESEARCH, THIS REQUIREMENT MAY BE SET-ASIDE FOR SDVOSB, VOSB, SMALL BUSINESSES OR PROCURED THROUGH FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION.

CAPABILITY STATEMENT:

Provide a brief capability and interest in providing the service as listed in Attachment 2 Statement of Work with enough information to determine if your company can meet the requirement. The capabilities statement for this Sources Sought is not a Request for Quotation, Request for Proposal, or Invitation for Bid, nor does it restrict the Government to an ultimate acquisition approach, but rather the Government is requesting a short statement regarding the company’s ability to provide the services outlined in the SOW. Any commercial brochures or currently existing marketing material may also be submitted with the capabilities statement. This synopsis is for information and planning purposes only and is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government. The Government will not pay for information solicited. Respondents will not be notified of the results of the evaluation.

DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS

SCOPE OF WORK

West Haven and Newington VA Medical Centers Steam Quality and Purity Testing Background:

The West Haven and Newington VA Connecticut (CT) medical centers require recurring steam quality and purity testing to ensure compliance with VHA Directive 1116 (Management of Critical and Semi-Critical Reusable Medical Devices). VHA Directive 1116 requires compliance with utility water, steam, and critical water standards for all Reusable Medical Device (RMD) reprocessing. Critical water standards are noted as taken from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), specifically AAMI ST108:2023 (Water for the processing of medical devices). The focus of this work scope is steam quality and purity.

Steam purity refers to the amount of solid, liquid, or vaporous contamination in the steam. High-purity steam contains very little contamination. Steam quality is a measure of the amount of moisture in the steam (or liquid contained in the steam). It is expressed as the weight of dry steam in a mixture of steam and water droplets. The water in steam can cause erosion in pipes and valves of the boiler. Steam utilized for building and processes should be dry and saturated. In the VHA facility the liquid moisture content should not exceed 1%. Dry and saturated steam is an efficient means for transferring energy from one place to another.

Justification:

VHA directive 1116 requires compliance with purity standards for steam used in RMD applications. The purity or chemical content of the steam that is generated for moist heat sterilization is critical to SPS functions.

Location of Services:

VA Medical Center West Haven 950 Campbell Avenue West Haven, CT 06516

VA Medical Center Newington 555 Willard Ave Newington, CT 06111 Period of Performance:

Base contract period shall be 09/01/2024 – 08/31/2025. The contract will also contain the provision for (4) annual option years:

Option Year 1: 09/01/2025 – 08/31/2026 Option Year 2: 09/01/2026 – 08/31/2027 Option Year 3: 09/01/2027 – 08/31/2028 Option Year 4: 09/01/2028 – 08/31/2029 References:

The following VA standard(s) and specification(s) are reference documents that pertain to the scope of work contained herein and shall be adhered to.

Reference (a) - VHA Directive 1116, Dated July 17, 2023, Management of Critical and Semi-Critical Reusable Medical Devices.

Reference (b) - ANSI/AAMI ST108, 2023, Water for the processing of medical devices.

Reference documents are available via the VA Technical Information Library using the following link: https://www.cfm.va.gov/TIL/spec.asp. Alternatively, the COR or FMS designee may provide these documents upon request.

Scope of Work:

The contractor shall provide all labor, supervision, materials, tools, consumables, along with applicable state license(s) and permits to perform testing and analysis of steam quality and purity at both VAMCs in accordance with Reference (b) and report findings.

All testing work shall comply with safety policies and procedures, current codes, standards, and recommendations of the VA. The contractor shall provide steam quality and purity results as well as applicable test equipment calibration documentation.

The contractor shall participate in an initial safety meeting to review safety and lock out/tag out (LOTO) procedures, discuss the nature of the planned testing activities, and coordinate those activities with Facilities Management (FMS) at the respective facility and the COR or their designee.

The contractor shall evaluate steam supply, utilities, and other potential causes of wet loads and staining per Reference (b). Including:

Steam pipe design Number of steam traps Steam filter function Insulation Water temp and adequacy of flow sterilizer vacuum system Temp and air flow in the sterilizer technical area Evaluation of load cooling/drying area Cycle execution detail incl detailed observation of the drying phase Steam condensate chemistry On-site water utility waster testing for pH, conductivity, alkalinity, hardness, copper, iron and chloride levels.

All waste material (includes packaging, consumables) and debris generated by this work shall be removed off of VA campus by the contractor and shall be disposed of in accordance with applicable State and Federal regulations.

Definitions/Acronyms:

CO – Contracting Officer.

COR – Contracting Officer’s Representative.

Acceptance Signature – Signature of VA FMS employee who indicates the contractor demonstrated service conclusion/status and user has accepted work as complete/pending as stated in the final report.

Authorization Signature – COR’s signature; indicates COR accepts work status as stated in the final report.

OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

FMS – Facilities Management Service Qualifications:

Contractor must provide, upon request, evidence of appropriate training of any authorized personnel providing services under terms of the contract. The CO and/or COR specifically reserve the right to reject any of the contractor’s personnel and refuse them permission to work on the equipment outlined herein, based upon credentials provided.

Subcontracting of any ensuing award of this solicitation will not be allowed without written permission of the Contracting Officer. Service response on calls from unauthorized personnel could result in non-payment.

Documentation/Reports:

The contractor shall provide a written report, within 30 calendar days of completing testing. The report shall include descriptions and pictures of initial conditions, work completed, analysis results, and recommendations to address any findings.

Discovery of any deficiencies observed during testing and analysis shall be documented in the final report.

Any additional charges claimed will be approved by the CO and COR before service is completed.

The contractor shall immediately, but not later than 24 consecutive hours after discovery, notify the CO and COR, (in writing), of the existence or the development of any additional scope to the subject services, which the contractor considers they are not responsible for under the terms of the contract.

The contactor shall provide the COR with a written estimate of the cost to make necessary repairs that are beyond this contract scope.

Hours of Coverage:

Unless otherwise authorized by the COR and coordinated with FMS, all efforts for this work will be scheduled during normal working hours (7:00 AM to 5:00 PM (CST) Monday through Friday).

Scheduling for work outside of normal hours shall be coordinated with boiler plant operations management as needed.

Federal holidays observed by VA Connecticut Healthcare System are:

Labor Day Columbus Day Veteran’s Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day New Year’s Day Martin Luther King Day President's Day Memorial Day Juneteenth Independence Day and any other day specifically designated by the President of the United States.

Safety:

The contractor shall take all safety precautions necessary to perform steam quality and purity testing as required herein and ensure activities do not endanger the contractor’s authorized personnel, VA personnel or patients during work.

The contractor shall ensure all energy sources are isolated prior to performing any sample collection, testing, or monitoring. Coordinate with FMS personnel as needed to isolate and/or lock out tag out applicable sources.

The contractor shall comply with the following:

Confined Space permit(s) as required.

Lock Out – Tag Out procedures as required.

Personal Protective Equipment as required for field service work.

Test Equipment:

Test equipment calibration shall be traceable to National Institutes of Standard Technology standards. Each service report shall list test equipment used and date calibration to NIST is due. Test equipment out of calibration shall not be used.

Identification, Parking, Smoking, and VA Regulations:

Contractor’s FST(s) shall wear visible identification at all times while on the premises of the VA. Identification shall include, at a minimum, the employee’s name, position, and the contractor’s trade name.

It is the responsibility of the contractor to park in the appropriate designated parking areas. Information on parking is available from VA Police Service. The VA will not invalidate or make reimbursement for parking violations of the contractor under any conditions.

Smoking is prohibited inside all VA buildings.

Possession of weapons is prohibited. Enclosed containers, including tool kits, shall be subject to search.

Violations of VA regulations may result in citation answerable in the United States (Federal) District Court, not a local district, state or municipal court.

Records Management:

The following standard terms and conditions relate to records generated in executing the contract and should be included in a typical procurement contract:

Citations to pertinent laws, codes and regulations such as 44 U.S.C chapters 21, 29, 31 and 33; Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552); Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a); 36 CFR Part 1222 and Part 1228.

Contractor shall treat all deliverables under the contract as the property of the U.S. Government for which the Government Agency shall have unlimited rights to use, dispose of, or disclose such data contained therein as it determines to be in the public interest.

Contractor shall not create or maintain any records that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract using Government IT equipment and/or Government records.

Contractor shall not retain, use, sell, or disseminate copies of any deliverable that contains information covered by the Privacy Act of 1974 or that which is generally protected by the Freedom of Information Act.

Contractor shall not create or maintain any records containing any Government Agency records that are not specifically tied to or authorized by the contract.

The Government Agency owns the rights to all data/records produced as part of this contract.

The Government Agency owns the rights to all electronic information (electronic data, electronic information systems, electronic databases, etc.) and all supporting documentation created as part of this contract. Contractor must deliver sufficient technical documentation with all data deliverables to permit the agency to use the data.

Contractor agrees to comply with Federal and Agency records management policies, including those policies associated with the safeguarding of records covered by the Privacy Act of 1974. These policies include the preservation of all records created or received regardless of format [paper, electronic, etc.] or mode of transmission [e-mail, fax, etc.] or state of completion [draft, final, etc.].

No disposition of documents will be allowed without the prior written consent of the Contracting Officer. The Agency and its contractors are responsible for preventing the alienation or unauthorized destruction of records, including all forms of mutilation. Willful and unlawful destruction, damage or alienation of Federal records is subject to the fines and penalties imposed by 18 U.S.C. 2701. Records may not be removed from the legal custody of the Agency or destroyed without regard to the provisions of the agency records schedules.

Contractor is required to obtain the Contracting Officer's approval prior to engaging in any contractual relationship (sub-contractor) in support of this contract requiring the disclosure of information, documentary material and/or records generated under, or relating to, this contract. The Contractor (and any sub-contractor) is required to abide by Government and Agency guidance for protecting sensitive and proprietary information.